All About Full-Time Maids

[Angelight]

I can't agree more with you. The maids these days are no longer as faithful and loyal as before who can stay with the same family for over 10 years. The maids these days only talk about 'qian' (money), not 'qing' (relationship).


What made it worse is that employers like us are not protected by the law at all. We are responsible and accountable for the maid's welfare and safety, and if anything goes wrong for the maid even if it's not our fault, the relevant agencies and those pro-maid volunteer groups will come after us. But if anything happen to the employers becos of the errant maids, who will stand up for us? NO ONE.

Like my recent ex maid almost drove me into an emotional breakdown, and now can even called my in laws' maid and passed on the message that she is going to HK to work! :x

But what can we as employers do? The truth is, we need them. And they know it.

kanyaramesh:

About maid increments and bonus, i have always given my maids a yearly 13 month bonus with a yearly $20 increment and angpows for birthdays christmas and deepavali. However all this is subject to their perfomance.

I find that maids that come to work nowadays are not so committed to their work. Their main aim is to make a quick buck and run. My new maid who has been with me for about 6 months had agreed to work on a \"no handphone basis\". But the moment she completed one month she started asking for a handphone. I had already bought for her phone cards to call back home but she said she wanted to sms. I have told her that the agreement as per her contract is no hanphone and that it will remain that way.

After reading all the entries in this forum I realise that we employers put up with a lot of heartache and misery meted out by our helpers. There does not seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. I myself have gone through some really horrifying maids; one who ate me out of house and home, a psychotic maid who sat outside the front porch and cut her xrays to tiny bits in the middle of the night, one who caused damage of about $6000 in the 6 months she was with me and one who collected phone numbers from constrction workers so that she could call them in an \"emergency\". I went \"maidless\" for 8 months and although i was very tired i was at peace.

I think it is about time we employers start making the necessary noise in order to be heard as i think the current policies are really pro-maids and agencies.

[minnie2004]

After 3 weeks being maidless, our new maid has finally arrived. However, I feel even busier as it seems I have 1 more kid to take care of. I had to tell her everything even though I've handed her the daily schedule and how-to-do-everything list the moment she arrived. Sometimes she'd just stand there and I have to tell her what to do :faint: . But I guess this is part of the painful process of training a new maid and hope things will get better after a while.


The bright side is she seems to be an easy going person and my kids seem to like her better than my previous maid. She also has no problem giving up her day-off in exchange for extra salary (DH decided it's better to do that this time around to avoid bad influence outside).

My DH is the happiest person as he doesn't need to wash dishes anymore . As for me, I plan to do more cooking myself in preparation to go maidless/part-time maids in the future. During the 3 weeks w/o a maid, I found out I'm actually not a bad cook, just hate all the washing and cutting .

[moonee]

verykiasu2010:

Breadandmuffins:

Just saw a maid smoking at the playground along the way to fetch my son. Have anyone ever see a maid smoking???

they have been 'smoking' the employers all the time .... lol

So much for smoking..My aunts maid used to come back 2 hrs late frm her off day red in the face from alcohol, attends tea dance and birthday celebrations at lucky plaza. The filipinas really know how to enjoy life.

[shine_fs]

mwchua:

hihi,


sorry it's me again. Remember the maid I was grumbling about wanting to transfer at gthe end of 2nd week with me?

After I decided to give her a 2nd chance, she \"survived\" another 2 weeks. Now crossed the 1-month milestone so far perf not excellent but still manageable..

Now she is trying to test my limit again - she requests to keep long hair even after I 1st day already told her all my maids keep short hair. She said she will tie it up etc....Actually I am not that inflexible but still I don't like the idea that she keeps on testing grounds - off-days, transfer, and now hair issue.

I know my answer is \"No\" but I wanna say it in a way that can convey a win-win outcome. I already told maid that few months before she goes back home, i will let her keep long hair.

Hubby says he will tell her the big \"NO\". I am thinking of telling maid all the cons, e.g. hair will be dry if shower late, more shampoo cost etc. but hubby said no need, just say \"NO\" !!

What's your take on this?? Don't know why....think I must visit the agent again soon.... :roll:

Rgds,
Ming

I remembered the 1st time I asked my maid to cut her hair....she and dont' want to cut. I told her if she don't cut I will bring her to agent and let the agent cut for her.

After much thinking, she decided to go for hair cut.

[DesertWind]

LKVM:

minnie2004:

During the 3 weeks w/o a maid, I found out I'm actually not a bad cook, just hate all the washing and cutting .

Thats something positive about being maidless for sometime... :celebrate:

My maid just came back from her 2-weeks home leave. Gosh, I was dead-beat! Tired lah, although enjoyed the time with my DS but moi really lousy at home. Cleaning and clearing for me OK but not cooking!

[DesertWind]

mwchua:

... she requests to keep long hair even after I 1st day already told her all my maids keep short hair. She said she will tie it up etc....Actually I am not that inflexible but still I don't like the idea that she keeps on testing grounds - off-days, transfer, and now hair issue. Ming

Hi mwchua,
When my maid first came she got really short-hair. Then after 6 months I noticed her hair long so I asked her whether she wanted to cut her hair? She said no she wanted to keep long hair! So OK lor, no need to bring her to the hair-salon! :lol:
She now ties up her hair, even told me her dream is to do rebonding to have long straight beautiful hair!
I never thought it is a problem (in fact I thought I saw most maids in town all got long hair?).

Shampoo cost versus Hair-cut costs?
Glove cost versus medical costs?
Off-day costs versus change maid costs?
:?

[pinkycheeks]

Dear kanyaramesh


I totally agree with you that gov policies are pro-maids. I was stuck with my previous maid's case and had to go to n fro embassy few times. The agent doesn't want her to go back home becoz she still has loan. The maid still wants to go back and embassy said that we had to send her home. When I called MOM, all they said is if the maid wants to go back, we have to send her back. It's very unfair to us. After much consideration and I do not want to go thru the hassle, we decided to send her back, at our own cost. Now the agency doesn't want to deal with us. :x

kanyaramesh:

About maid increments and bonus, i have always given my maids a yearly 13 month bonus with a yearly $20 increment and angpows for birthdays christmas and deepavali. However all this is subject to their perfomance.

I find that maids that come to work nowadays are not so committed to their work. Their main aim is to make a quick buck and run. My new maid who has been with me for about 6 months had agreed to work on a \"no handphone basis\". But the moment she completed one month she started asking for a handphone. I had already bought for her phone cards to call back home but she said she wanted to sms. I have told her that the agreement as per her contract is no hanphone and that it will remain that way.

After reading all the entries in this forum I realise that we employers put up with a lot of heartache and misery meted out by our helpers. There does not seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel. I myself have gone through some really horrifying maids; one who ate me out of house and home, a psychotic maid who sat outside the front porch and cut her xrays to tiny bits in the middle of the night, one who caused damage of about $6000 in the 6 months she was with me and one who collected phone numbers from constrction workers so that she could call them in an \"emergency\". I went \"maidless\" for 8 months and although i was very tired i was at peace.

I think it is about time we employers start making the necessary noise in order to be heard as i think the current policies are really pro-maids and agencies.

[minnie2004]

DesertWind:

mwchua:

... she requests to keep long hair even after I 1st day already told her all my maids keep short hair. She said she will tie it up etc....Actually I am not that inflexible but still I don't like the idea that she keeps on testing grounds - off-days, transfer, and now hair issue. Ming

Hi mwchua,
When my maid first came she got really short-hair. Then after 6 months I noticed her hair long so I asked her whether she wanted to cut her hair? She said no she wanted to keep long hair! So OK lor, no need to bring her to the hair-salon! :lol:
She now ties up her hair, even told me her dream is to do rebonding to have long straight beautiful hair!
I never thought it is a problem (in fact I thought I saw most maids in town all got long hair?).

Shampoo cost versus Hair-cut costs?
Glove cost versus medical costs?
Off-day costs versus change maid costs?
:?

All my previous maids have long hair. I don't really care as they all tie up their hair when working. We'd better choose the right battle to fight. I'm already very picky on other areas like cooking and cleaning so I'm willing to be less strict on other non-crucial areas

[minnie2004]

I'm wondering since now my current maid agrees to no day-offs, how does she send $$ home? Do I have to send for her? Where and how can I do that? My previous maids all go to Lucky Plaza to send $$. Do I have to go there too? :?


Also, is it reasonable to pay her $30 extra on top of her monthly salary of $350 to compensate for her day-off?

Thanks in advance!

[DesertWind]

minnie2004:

All my previous maids have long hair. I don't really care as they all tie up their hair when working. We'd better choose the right battle to fight. I'm already very picky on other areas like cooking and cleaning so I'm willing to be less strict on other non-crucial areas

Fully agreed minnie2004!
:goodpost: